Applications of parameter estimation in the study of spinning airplanes

Spinning airplanes offer challenges to estimating dynamic parameters because of the nonlinear nature of the dynamics. In this paper, parameter estimation techniques are applied to spin flight test data for estimating the error in measuring post-stall angles of attack, deriving Euler angles from angular velocity data, and estimating nonlinear aerodynamic characteristics. The value of the scale factor for post-stall angles of attack agrees closely with that obtained from special wind-tunnel tests. The independently derived Euler angles are seen to be valid in spite of steep pitch angles. Estimates of flight derived nonlinear aerodynamic parameters are evaluated in terms of the expected fit error.